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Diamond Dream Mother’s Day contest to award prizes

“My Mom Shines Like a Diamond” Mother’s Day Essay Contest sponsored through Diamond Dream Fine Jewelers in Bernardsville. The top three winners will receive spectacular diamonds for their mothers, while seven runners-up will receive colorful, semi-precious gemstones as gifts for their moms. The contest is also being sponsored by the Courier News, mycentraljersey.com, Home News Tribune and the Daily Record.

“I can still remember the first time I held my daughters,” she said. “It’s hard to express in words what becoming a mother is really like.”

That was over 20 years ago, and Shapiro remembers it as if it were yesterday. Today, her two daughters, Sasha and Tess, are grown, but many of her fondest memories still center around when her girls were young. She also remembers the sacrifices.

“You make sacrifices when you become a parent, and they’re all absolutely worth it, but it’s still very special when you’re appreciated by your kids for all that you do,” she added. “It’s that appreciation that we would like to honor and celebrate this Mother’s Day.”

Faina and her husband, Edward, are sponsoring the “My Mom Shines Like a Diamond” Mother’s Day Essay Contest through their family-owned business, Diamond Dream Fine Jewelers in Bernardsville. The top three winners will receive spectacular diamonds for their mothers, while seven runners-up will receive colorful, semi-precious gemstones as gifts for their moms. The contest is also sponsored by the Courier News, Home News Tribune, MyCentralJersey.com and the Daily Record.

Edward Shapiro believes the prizes are the perfect way to honor mothers.

“A diamond is forever, he said, “and so is a mother’s love. We’re so excited about getting the essays, although selecting the winners will surely be challenging.”

The idea for the essay contest harkens back to when the couple’s young daughters would create hand-made cards for Faina on Mother’s Day or her birthday. “Those cards were my favorite,” she recalled. I’ve saved many of them and their sentiments still mean so much to me. Kids write from the heart and it’s just so genuine.”

Contest rules

Essay participants are asked to share: “Why is your mom special? Why do you love her? What do you appreciate most?” The contest is open to students in third through sixth grades who live in or attend school in Somerset, Hunterdon, Morris, Middlesex and Union counties. Essays can be no longer than 250 words and will be judged based on originality, creativity, emotional appeal and sincerity by a panel of judges from Diamond Dream and the newspapers. Three dazzling diamonds of half-carat, quarter-carat and .10-carat will be awarded for first, second and third place, respectively. Seven runners-up will win semi-precious gemstones such as garnet, amethyst, blue topaz or citrine.

The deadline for essays is April 17, 2015. Essays can be submitted online at Diamond Dream’s website, http://www.diamonddreamjewelers.com, by mail or delivered to Diamond Dream’s store at 12 Mine Brook Road, Bernardsville, NJ 07924. Essays may also be delivered to the Courier News, 92 E. Main St., Suite 202, Somerville, NJ 08876, Attn.: Mother’s Day Essay Contest. For complete rules, visit: www.diamonddreamjewelers.com.

Winners will be notified by April 25, 2015, and presented with their prizes at a special Mother’s Day celebration at Diamond Dream Jewelers on Saturday, May 2 at 3 p.m. Photos of essay winners and their mothers will appear in the Courier News and Daily Record, and essays will be published at mycentraljersey.com, dailyrecord.com, Diamond Dream’s website and magazine.

“I know every mother would love to receive a diamond or jewel for Mother’s Day, but I also believe that every mom will be a winner in this contest,” she said. “The essays alone will be gifts for a lifetime.”

Diamond Dream is celebrating its 30th year in business and 11th year in Bernardsville. It is a trusted, family-owned jewelry store that has built its success on providing elegant, timeless jewelry and timepieces and by delivering unparalleled service to its clients. Diamond Dream offers the world’s finest brands, as well as exquisite custom designs created by Edward Shapiro.

For more information or questions about the essay contest, call Diamond Dream at 908-766-4700 or visit www.diamonddreamjewelers.com.